Poinsettia plant named ‘NPCW13218’

ABSTRACT

A new poinsettia plant particularly distinguished by having bright red bracts, a triangular plant form, and an upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Euphorbia pulcherrima.

Variety denomination: ‘NPCW13218’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety ofpoinsettia, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima and hereinafterreferred to by the variety name ‘NPCW13218’. ‘NPCW13218’ was derived asa selection of a single, bright red plant among a population derivedfrom irradiated cuttings of the poinsettia ‘NPCW10164’ (U.S. Plant Pat.No. 22,597) and commercially known as ‘Christmas Day’, having redbracts.

In November 2010, a single bright red plant was selected in Stuttgart,Germany from irradiated lines of poinsettia ‘NPCW10164’. In February2011, ‘NPCW13218’ was first asexually propagated by vegetative cuttings.‘NPCW13218’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via vegetative cuttings in Stuttgart,Germany.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Plant Breeder's Rights for ‘NPCW13218’ were applied for in Europe onDec. 9, 2013, File No. 2013/3123, and Grant No. 41415. ‘NPCW13218’ hasnot been made publicly available or sold more than one year prior to thefiling date of this application.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Bright red bracts;    -   2. A triangular plant form; and    -   3. An upright growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new poinsettia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows an overall view of the plant. The photograph is of a plantapproximately four-months-old grown indoors in Stuttgart, Germany inNovember 2013.

The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘NPCW13218’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on four-month-old plants grownindoors in Stuttgart, Germany under greenhouse conditions in the fall of2013. Color references are to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Euphorbiaceae.        -   Species.—Euphorbia pulcherrima.        -   Common name.—Poinsettia.        -   Variety.—‘NPCW13218’.-   Parentage: Selection from the irradiated Poinsettia ‘NPCW10164’.-   Growth:    -   -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.        -   Blooming habit.—Intermittent.        -   Flowering response time.—Approximately 53 days.        -   Keeping quality.—Very good.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Triangular.        -   Growth habit.—Upright.        -   Height.—28.0 cm to 30.0 cm.        -   Width.—25.0 cm to 30.0 cm.        -   Number of branches.—5 to 6.        -   Average number of inflorescences per plant.—5.5.        -   Disease and pest resistance.—None observed.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cuttings.—Apical cuttings.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—4 weeks.        -   Rooting habit and root color.—Freely branching and white.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Color.—RHS 143A.        -   Length.—25.0 cm.        -   Internode length.—1.2 cm to 3.5 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.5 cm to 0.8 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching.        -   Number of lateral branches per plant.—5 to 6.        -   Texture.—Smooth.-   Leaves:    -   -   Quantity.—6 to 7 per lateral branch.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Number of lobes on the leaf blade.—1 to 3.        -   Depth of the deepest sinus of the leaf blade.—0.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Length.—8.0 cm to 14.0 cm.        -   Width.—6.0 cm to 9.0 cm.        -   Lobes.—Lobation characteristics: Moderately deep. Texture            (both surfaces): Smooth. Vein color: Upper surface:            Transparent. Lower surface: RHS 139D; middle vein is            slightly reddish.        -   Variegation.—Absent.        -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.        -   Color.—Mature foliage: Upper surface: RHS 139A. Lower            surface: RHS 139D. Immature foliage: Upper surface: RHS            141A. Lower surface: RHS 139B.        -   Leaf petiole.—Length: 3.0 cm to 6.0 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to            0.3 cm. Color: Upper (part) surface: RHS 59A. Lower (part)            surface: RHS 181B. Texture: Smooth. Strength: Medium.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Lastingness of inflorescence on the plant.—4 weeks.        -   Natural flowering season.—End of November.        -   Diameter.—27.0 cm to 30.0 cm.        -   Height.—3.0 cm to 4.0 cm.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.-   Bracts:    -   -   Number of bracts per inflorescence.—6 to 9.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Mostly entire but older bracts are slightly serrate.        -   Size.—Length: 9.0 cm to 11.0 cm. Width: 4.0 cm to 8.0 cm.        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Smooth.        -   Venation pattern.—Reticulate.        -   Vein color.—Upper surface: RHS 59A. Lower surface: RHS 181B.        -   Bract color.—Upper surface: RHS 46B. Lower surface: RHS 47B.        -   Bract petiole.—Length: 0.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: 0.2 cm to            0.3 cm. Color: Upper (part) surface: RHS 59A. Lower (part)            surface: RHS 181B. Texture: Smooth. Strength: Medium.-   Cyme:    -   -   Diameter.—1.0 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Cyathia number.—7 to 10 per inflorescence.        -   Deformation of glands of the cyathium.—Absent.        -   Timing of opening of cyathia.—Opens end of November;            duration first pollen in parallel to opening of the nectar            cups and stigmas appear 1 to 2 weeks later.        -   Cyathium.—Shape: Ovate. Diameter: 0.2 cm to 0.6 cm. Length:            0.3 cm to 0.8 cm. Color: RHS 143C.        -   Peduncle.—Color: RHS 142B. Length: 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.            Diameter: 0.1 cm. Texture: Smooth. Strength: Medium.        -   Nectar cups.—Number: 1 per cyathium. Diameter: 0.1 cm.            Length: 0.4 cm to 0.5 cm. Color: RHS 1C.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamen quantity.—5 to 10 per cyanthium.        -   Stamen shape.—Ovate.        -   Filament length.—0.25 cm.        -   Filament color.—RHS 46A.        -   Pollen quantity.—Moderate.        -   Pollen color.—RHS 12A.        -   Gynoecium.—Present. Pistil quantity per cyathium: 1. Pistil            length: 0.2 cm. Stigma form: Divided in 2 parts. Stigma            color: RHS 183A. Style length 0.2 cm. Style color: HS 183A.            Ovary length: 0.05 cm. Ovary color: RHS 143C.-   Fruit and seed set: None observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINE AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘NPCW13218’ is a distinct variety of Poinsettia having bright redbracts. ‘NPCW13218’ is distinguished from its parent ‘NPCW 10164’ asdescribed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Characteristic Variety ‘NPCW13218’ Parent ‘NPCW10164’ Bractcolor, upper surface RHS 46B RHS 46A Bract color, lower surface RHS 47BRHS 47A Leaf quantity per lateral 6 to 7 8 to 15 branch

‘NPCW13218’ can be compared to the commercial Poinsettia plant variety‘NPCW06115’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,020). Differences between the twovarieties are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety Commercial line Characteristic‘NPCW13218’ ‘NPCW06115’ Plant width or spread 25.0 cm to 30.0 cm 30.0 cmto 35.0 cm Inflorescence diameter 27.0 cm to 30.0 cm 15.0 cm to 20.0 cm

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of poinsettia plant named‘NPCW13218’ as illustrated and described herein.